All About Chords Guitar Lesson
All About Chords
In this lesson, Steve goes into greater depth with chords. He will introduce new strumming patterns. You will also learn the A minor and E minor chords and how they relate to each other.
Taught by Steve Eulberg in Basic Guitar with Steve Eulberg seriesLength: 39:00Difficulty: 2.0 of 5
- First you should tune your guitar. Warm up your fingers afterwards by doing the finger exercises that you have learned. If you are having trouble remembering your finger exercises please check the "Warmup Finger Exercise" in the supplemental content tab.
- Steve gives a short review of the chords you have learned in the past. If you need any help remembering the proper fingerings please check out the G, C and D7th in the supplemental content section.
- Please take time to review all of the strumming patterns which were discussed in lesson 3. For a visual representation or review of these patterns please view the supplemental content section.
- As the lessons begin to get more advanced playing up and down the neck will become a necessity. Up until now all of the finger exercises have been on the first four frets only, well that is about to change!
This finger exercise starts off roughly the same as the others. You begin by playing your open low E string, followed by the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and fourth frets. However, instead of going back down, you instead play the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th frets. Once you reach the 12th fret you go back down the neck. Repeat this on all 6 strings.
Our 3 Chords
- Up until this point the lessons have used only 3 chords, the G, C and D7 chords. To understand why we are using these 3 chords together, and why they sound good we must look at a scale. Don't worry if you cannot quite understand what a scale is or how these relationships work, as they can often take long periods of time.
The G Major diatonic scale contains 7 notes. The G, A, B, C, D, E and F#. After the F it returns to G and the scale repeats itself at a higher octave. To help you understand how the scale relates to chords, take your hand and put your middle finger and ring finger down, while leaving your thumb, pointer finger and pinky up and point it away from yourself. It will look similar to you say "I love you" with your hands.
Now, look at your pinky and pretend it is the first step of the scale. For instance, we are currently using the G scale so your pinky would represent the G. Now, skip the next two fingers (A and B) as they are down and move onto the fourth finger or ring finger, which would represent a C. Your thumb would be the 5th finger and represent a D.
This is referred to as a 1, 4, 5 pattern. When you play a song in a major key, generally the song will use the 1, 4 and 5 chords. This is an easy way to find out which chords go together.
Notice how the chords we have been playing are G, C and D and they show up using this pattern in the G scale, and how they also sound great together.
- Now you may have noticed according to the scale above, we should be using a D chord. We have only learned a D7 chord at this point. You might be wondering why exactly that is.
One of the reasons is because of the ease of switching between the D7 and G chords. The more important reason to use the D7 chord is that it has a "go home" feeling. What that means is that when you play the chord it leaves you with a hanging feeling as if it was waiting to be resolved, and when you return back to the 1 chord (in this case G) it expands upon the feeling of going home.
- The 1, 4 and 5 chords in a scale are generally major chords. So what are the fingers that you have lowered supposed to represent? The minor chords of course. That means that in the G scale there is an A minor, B minor and E minor chord.
The A minor and E minor are the most popular minor chords in the G major scale so we will be learning those in this lesson.
- You might be thinking that Steve is teaching more theory then I need to know, want to know or can even understand.
Don't worry if theory is not what makes sense to you. Steve simply wishes to cover all the different avenues of guitar teaching so that students will have more ways to see, hear and understand the guitar.
If you are hearing something that doesn't quite make sense do not worry about it. You may figure out or make sense of the theory later on.
- The E minor chord is quite simple to play. Simply put your second finger on the second fret of the A string, and your third finger on the second fret of the D string and strum all 6 strings.
Practice changing between the E minor and G chord to get a feel for it.
- Adding the E minor chord to the other 3 can create a very interesting sound, and one that you may find very familiar.
Try playing the following strumming pattern.Play the chords in the following order using a down-up strumming pattern: G Major, E Minor, C Major, D 7th, G Major
If you cannot remember that the down-up strumming pattern is please see "Strumming Pattern #1/A" in the supplemental content section. There is also a visual representation of this strumming pattern titled "Chord Progression #1."
Chapter 8: (02:36) Chord Progression with Strumming Pattern #3/C Now we will use the chord progression with another of the strumming patterns we learned in the previous lesson. Play the chord progression from the last segment (G Major, E Minor, C Major, D7 and G Major) and use the strumming pattern #3/C. As always you can find a graphical representation of the strumming pattern titled "Strumming Pattern #3/C" in the supplemental content section. This is the rhythm pattern where we play two down strums, then down up down up. Play two measures of each chord. Chapter 9: (01:41) Strumming Pattern #4/D Up next we will take the chord progression and change it up slightly by using a different strumming pattern. Play the chord progression from the last segment (G Major, E Minor, C Major, D7 and G Major) and use the strumming pattern #4/D. As always you can find a graphical representation of the strumming pattern titled "Strumming Pattern #4/D" in the supplemental content section. Play two measures of each chord. Chapter 10: (04:38) More on Minor Chords This chapter talks more about minor chords. Learn how they are labeled, more about their use and also how to play the A minor chord.
Minor Chords in Music
- The E Minor accord will generally not appear as "E Minor" written out in music, but instead as Em or Emin. Generally you will find it written as Em simply because it saves space. So if you see a chord simply labeled with a lower case "m" treat it as a minor chord.
- Now let's learn how to play the A minor chord! It's fairly easy to play. Put your first finger on the B string at the first fret. Now put your third finger on the G string at the second fret and your second finger on the D string at the second fret. You play from the A string down, meaning play every string but your LOW e, or the thickest string. If you need a visual representation of this chord, please be sure to check out the "A Minor Chord" entry in supplemental content.
- We now have 5 chords, the G, C, D7, E Minor and Minor. Now it's time to have some fun! Take these chords and play around with them. Just play them in different orders, with different strumming patterns, in any way your heart desires. Pay attention to what it sounds like going from chord to chord, playing different patterns or simply playing faster or slower. Trying different things is very important to becoming a musician, and it is quite fun.
Play this progression using strumming pattern #2, which is basically down *pause* down up down up down up. 2 measures of G major, 2 measures of E minor, 2 measures of A minor, 2 measures of D7th and 2 measures of G major.
Please view "Chord Progression #5" and "Strumming Pattern #2/B" if you need a reminder or visual representation of this progression. Chapter 12: (01:02) Exit Music Basic Guitar Episode 4 featuring Steve Eulberg is now finished! Sit back and relax while Steve plays some music to see you off.
Remember, practice this episode thoroughly until you have learned and memorized everything. Moving on to the next lesson before you are ready will not only make the next lesson more confusing but may also discourage you. Master everything before moving on and you will be a better player in the long run.
Supplemental Learning Material
Basic Guitar with Steve Eulberg
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsPhase 1 Acoustic Lessons with Steve Eulberg is a great place to begin your journey as a guitarist. With over 30 years of playing experience, Steve appreciates the importance of beginning your guitar training the correct way - no bad habits! These lessons are not just for acoustic players. Electric guitarists will receive the same benefits from this lesson series.
Lesson 1
The Absolute Basics
You will learn the parts of the guitar and how they function. Steve also discusses the importance of technique.
Length: 45:09 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Your First Chords
Three simple chords will literally enable you to play millions of songs. In this lesson, you will learn the primary chords for the key of G.
Length: 40:00 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Strumming Technique
Now that Steve has taught some chords, he will go over the proper methods of strumming and right hand technique.
Length: 42:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
All About Chords
This lesson is all about the various aspects of chords.
Length: 39:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Chord Theory
Steve explains how basic triads are formed in this lesson. He also explains the relationship between scales and chords.
Length: 40:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Intro to Fingerpicking
Steve Eulberg introduces you to the wonderful world of fingerpicking.
Length: 51:00 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Bringing it Together
Steve starts to weave the strings of the past lessons together.
Length: 47:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Chords, Keys and Relationships
This episode delves further in the realm of chords, scales, keys and the relationships between them. You will also learn some new chords.
Length: 34:25 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Barre Chords
This lesson covers power chords and barre chords. You will learn how these chords are formed and how to apply them.
Length: 38:24 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Tools for Guitar
Steve explains how basic tools such as the metronome, capo, and picks aid your guitar playing. Enjoy!
Length: 27:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Playing Lead and Scales
This lesson gets you into the basics of playing melodies on the guitar. Playing melodies and solos is often referred to as "lead guitar."
Length: 45:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Hand Stretches
Steve demonstrates some great stretches for the hands, wrists and upper arms.
Length: 8:12 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Different Guitars
Steve discusses the difference between the steel string acoustic, classical, and 12 string guitars.
Length: 12:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Changing Guitar Strings
This lesson is all about changing guitar strings. This process can be very frustrating, but it doesn't have to be. Learn some great tips from Steve.
Length: 37:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Timing and Tempo
Steve Eulberg delves into the wonderful world of rhythm and time signatures.
Length: 29:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Circle of Fifths
Steve Eulberg introduces the Circle of Fifths. He demonstrates a song that features a Circle of Fifths progression.
Length: 15:30 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Clearing Up Confusion
In this lesson Steve attempts to clear up some confusion with previous lessons. He will talk about reading tablature, note names, chord names and more.
Length: 15:52 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 18
Review and Moving On
Steve Eulberg does a quick review of this lesson series and talks about moving on.
Length: 12:44 Difficulty: 2.0 FREE
Completing Lessons
Steve answers the popular question, "When should I move on to the next lesson?" by sharing his personal goals and some important advice.
Length: 6:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
About Steve Eulberg
View Full Biography
An Award-winning multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Steve Eulberg weaves mountain and hammered dulcimers with a variety of unusual instruments to create thought-provoking, smile-inducing, toe-tapping acoustic experiences.
He has sung and composed for religious communities, union halls, picket lines, inter-faith retreats, mountain-top youth camps, as well as the more familiar venues: clubs, coffeehouses, bookstores, festivals, charity benefits and showcase concerts.
Born and raised in the German-heritage town of Pemberville, Ohio, Steve was exposed to a variety of music in his home. Early piano lessons were followed by trumpet in school band, and he became self-taught on ukelele and guitar and harmonica. Mandolin was added at Capital University where, while majoring in History, he studied Ear Training, Voice and took Arranging lessons from the Conservatory of Music.
While at college, he first heard hammered and mountain dulcimers, building his first mountain dulcimer just before his final year. Seminary training took him the west side of Denver where he built his first hammered dulcimer. With these instruments, he was able to give voice to the Scottish, English and Irish traditions to which he is also heir.
Following marriage in 1985 to Connie Winter-Eulberg he settled in Kansas City, Missouri. There he worked cross-culturally in a church of African-Americans, Latinos and European Americans, with music being a primary organizing tool. He moved with his family in 1997 to be nestled beside the Rocky Mountains in Fort Coillins, Colorado.
Founder of Owl Mountain Music, Inc. he teaches and performs extensively in Colorado and Wyoming with tours across the US and the UK. He delights in introducing the “sweet music†of dulcimers to people in diverse settings and in addition to his own recordings, has included dulcimers in a variety of session work for other musicians.
In 2000 he was commissioned to create a choral composition featuring dulcimers for the Rainbow Chorus in Fort Collins. It was recorded in the same year (BEGINNINGS). He is currently at work on a commissioned symphony that will feature hammered dulcimer and Australian didjeridu.
Eulberg passionately believes that music crosses cultural and language barriers because music builds community. Influenced by a variety of ethnic styles, his music weaves vital lyric with rap, rock, folk, gospel and blues. Audiences of all ages respond well to his presentation and to his warm sense of humor.
Steve is a member of Local 1000 (AFM), The Folk Alliance, BMI and BWAAG (Better World Artists and Activist's Guild).
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.my favorite lesson so far! loved learning a little theory! it's making sense!
I love the way you teach, Steve ! You have just added a new fan of yours :)
Steve you are a great instructor! You make it so comfortable to learn and I can't wait to get to the next lesson! Thank you so very much!!
Great lessons! Continue to appreciate Steve's guidance. FYI: "Going to the woodshed" or "being sent to the woodshed" in the southern vernacular tends to mean a little corporal punishment levied by a parent or grandparent...which this is not. Neither is this "going to the woodshed" as in the manner of Ted Kacynzki. Pardon the humor.
i like the way your voice and guitar sound together :)
In the lesson during the text explaination it states that when you make the "i love you" shape that the C chord is 4th position but it should be the "ring finger"? wouldn't it be the pointer finger or am i missing something?
Intresting example with the fingers, it shows which chords in progression must be minor or major. Why we play Em second, between G and C? Should we just learn such progression or understand?
Hi Steve, just wanted to say I an really enjoying your lessons, particularly this one. Started in january and get excited everytime I start a new lesson. Your style of teaching is great, Cheers!
Oops...sorry. Didnt mean to post that 3 times. : )~
Thanks Steve. I have been playing for quite a while (sporatically). Circumstances have changed in my life & now I have more time to practice. I am relearning & trying now to do things the best way. Learning sooo much from your lessons. Thanks so much for your expertise & your dedication to teaching us.
Thanks Steve. I have been playing for quite a while (sporatically). Circumstances have changed in my life & now I have more time to practice. I am relearning & trying now to do things the best way. Learning sooo much from your lessons. Thanks so much for your expertise & your dedication to teaching us.
Thanks Steve. I have been playing for quite a while (sporatically). Circumstances have changed in my life & now I have more time to practice. I am relearning & trying now to do things the best way. Learning sooo much from your lessons. Thanks so much for your expertise & your dedication to teaching us.
Steve, you playing a Huss and Dalton? They're made right here in my hometown in VA! =)
love the lessons lol i just started playing for my church band so i know chords and finger picking but not all the basics so i'm using this to fill my self in thanks for your help
Hi Steve. Your 1 4 5 pattern being referred to as: "I love you" with your hands." I hadn't come across this "aide de memoire" before. It must be and American finger of speech! (wink). Enjoying your lessons.
im sure steve where u have written on the guitar tab about the e minor chord is wrong it should be 2 on the d and 2 on the A not 3 on the d chord its not 3rd fret its second im confused
Just paused to practice the 2nd strumming pattern and heard "Last Kiss" in my head, so cool!
Same here. Except the G - Em - C - D7 progression reminds me of Justin Bieber's "Baby".
Same here. Except the G - Em - C - D7 progression reminds me of Justin Bieber's "Baby".
Same here. Except the G - Em - C - D7 progression reminds me of Justin Bieber's "Baby".
In Lesson 4 scene three: how to do the chromatic scale exercise on the G string? I am playing 0-1-2-3 shift hand to 2nd position and just playing frets 1-2-3, then shifting again. is that correct?
Steve, I began your lessons yesterday. I'm am 65 yrs. old and I am trying to break some bad habits. Never had any formal trainning in music. Thru the years I have perfect my ingorance on the guitar. I love studing about the theory that is behind the playing. Look for the book you mention, "Music Theory for Practical People" but our music store did not have it. Thanks for all I am learning.
Hi Steve, just started to play guitar 3 weeks ago. started your lessons 2 weeks ago and this lesson (3rd one), it is a great motivation to keep playing...my wife recongnized her favorite songs as I was going thrugh the chord progresions..."THANK YOU SO MUCH"
had to restart soo much, I think it was 200 times per chord lol
G - Em - Am - D & Em - Am - B, these progressions really sound amazing.
Very nice lesson, even though I already knew the chords now I know how they are related
I'm so sorry I'm sure this is a stupid question but...I don't get this "7" business. In Lesson 4 scene 4 you show a dry-erase diagram of a g scale and explain the roman numerals and the "V" is a D and you say we played a D7 instead. Why? And what does the "7" in D7 mean?
As you make a D chord the "7" stands for the interval of a pitch 7 steps higher than D. A normal D major chord has D, F# and A. However a D7 chord has D, F#, A and C (C is the seventh note about D) Hope I explained that well enough:)
Thank you Steve, this is my 4th lesson and I feel I have learned quite a bit in a short while. This my 3rd night I've played these lessons and every night I practice what I learned the night before, then I start the next lesson. I think you are a GREAT teacher!
Good question about D7. Even after he asnwered you with an answer, Im still confused. he could have said its the 487th and Id believe it...it will come to us as we progress Im sure of it! Hang in there, I think we dont need to know or understand it fully as of yet!
D7 just means you are playing a D + the 7th step of the scale. So in addition to the regular notes you play in the D Major chord you are also adding a 7th. So a three note D chord becomes a four note D7 by adding the 7th note of whatever scale you are using.
Thank you Steve !
I have been praticing for one year and was learning from a friend but he was hurrying to learn complicated songs at a very fast pace while praticing what chords he was teaching me, but Mr Eulbergs method has helped me take a good look at how a true teacher teaches and even though I have song music teaching from Junior hihg I am learning to appreciate music, My father has aways loved music and is very well known as a spanish percussionist and has always tried to influsnce me with his appreciation for music but had never really persued it the way I am now since getting into the guitar, I always liked the guitar but could'nt afford till lately and now I love it and hope to make (my dads dreams of me learning to play an instrument and myself,) come true. thank you.
I'm on lesson 4 now with Steve Eulberg and really enjoying the lessons. Steve is a wonderful teacher. Before I started with Jam Play I tried private lessons with three different guitar teachers. Not all at once of course but one at a time. Man, what a waste of time and money that was. The teachers were nice enough but they didn't act like they enjoyed teaching. They were all more concerned with watching the clock then teaching. I learned a couple of things, but their lessons had No plan. Their was no Method as to where we were going. This was very frustrating and I quit after three lessons each. Steve's lessons have a easy to follow progression that makes sence to me. And I love that I know exactly what to practice and how to practice. Steve is Great and Jam Play is the best.
I am LOVING Jamplay and especially Mr. Steve. My background is classical (piano and cello) and as far as fingerings go, there is no such thing as "see if you like it!!" I love the freedom. Thank you Steve!
These are great lessons. I'm a beginner who has been playing for about 5 months, so I know a few cords and scales. But starting at lesson 1 in Steve's beginner series has really helped. I have learned alot. Plus, I love the theory.
On Scene 10, Minor Chords, A Minor and Playing Around, Steve is adding the Am chord. I am unable to find this chord as Steve is playing it, in the Chord Library. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Mr. Phil. I haven't seen a reply to you, so maybe you have figured it out. Take a close look at the supplemental content diagram on Amin and then listen to what Steve is saying. They match right up. Make a C chord and then move the third finger to the G string second fret to make the Amin chord. It is hard to see on the video perhaps because his fingers are a little pudgy. So are mine.
Great lesson, I also detected the E minor chord tab incorrectly writen as Verbena pointed out. I am also wondering if a camera could be placed over the left shoulder pointing down at the fingers of the left hand so we could get a better view of the placement of the fingers as they move around on the strings?
Thats exactly what Ive said many times, a few times to ones in Jamplay and more than once at the local music store! It doesnt make sense to have to have our brain reinterpret it from straight on camera views to the one we see daily while learning guitar!! The chord books you buy in the store..same thing, the picture is always straight on! Crazy. some people are visual learners and we need the right perspective. Apparently new video lessons in here are going to have the "players" view on camera. So glad to see this changing slowly. Now if the rest of the world would catch on to the new jamplay changes! Thank you for thinkng the same thing as me! Rick/ellonysman
I agree with you both on the camera angle thing. Hard to see exactly where the fingertips land on the srings/fretboard trying to see through Steve's knuckles. Hope to see that camera angle changed soon.
LOL, Steve told me to touch your G-string with my finger...ewwww
Thanks Steve--I haven't had my giutar for a month yet--I'm finishing Lesson 4. I can do all the chords and strum patterns, however I can only change chords slowly--especially from any other chord to C. Is it just practice, or might I be doing something wrong??
Rireswire...saw your old comment about the first few chords in steve's lessons...that was lastyear...hows it coming along this year, January 2011? Curious.
I'm in the same boat with you. It's a nightmare. But, Steve's easy C and easy G made a big difference in my ability to at least use those two chords with others. And his moving from C to Am is easy. Anyway, it's a start.
I don't get it. Lesson 4, chapter 9, the strumming pattern on the video is down down up up down up. But the graphical representation in the supplemental tab shows down down up up down up down up. It has an extra down up at the end. ???
They are both perfectly OK to play! These are just meant to be a couple of templates to practice strumming, but the ultimate goal is to begin to "strum like you feel it." Get into that rhythmic groove and play what sounds and feels good. If any of these four (or i guess five!) patterns work, that's great, but if not let your body take over. Try not to get too caught up on the exact pattern because while they are good for learning purposes, getting too into the mechanical aspect can really ruin the feel of the music.
Thanks to both for your replies. I'm getting back to you late because we have been in the process of moving and it's been crazy! Yes, I know not to get too caught up in the exact patterns necessarily, but it just didn't make sense in terms of the lesson. In fact, my body/hand has been taking over without even thinking about it making some very nice, more complex patterns. I just go with the flow and the sound and have no idea really what the UP's and DOWN's are. Thanks
RE: your july/2010 comment about strumming, LOL< I agree, it didnt sit well with me, just finding a natural strum system is in us already, but some people probably arent "natural" at playing or strumming so it is more of an important item to them than us , lol, natural players! Rock on.
Yea they already stated that the supplemental material is not always put together by the instructor that gave the lesson, so there are possibilities of errors occuring. Not sure why they haven't fixed it yet, but it is D DU UDU, so your doing it right.
Steve, you already know youre a success at this teaching but just want to say again how easy and enjoyable your teaching style and personality are when doing this. I feel like Im in your studio, like you really mean it. Not like someone dumping a lesson on me just for the purpose of getting my money, like some other sites do. Great job!
Steve, I found your lessons thus far to be the most helpful. I however, have an electric guitar and was wondering if learning through you would help?
It sure will! All of the learning is the same, yours will just sound different if played through an amp and actually be a little easier (because of the lighter strings). But all of the material still applies 100% to electric guitar.
Hi Steve, quick question. When I finger the G major in the progression G-C-D7, it is easier for me to use my (4) finger on the high G, my (3) finger on the low G and my (2) finger on the B. I can do it with the fingering you taught, howerer it is easier for me to make the G-C-D7 changes with this fingering. What im wondering is, is it a bad habit or personal preference??
Personally I would stick to the fingering that Steve shows.. it's the proper fingering and it will help later with other chords and fingerings to have your pinky free.
I noticed the same thing. It also shows that fingering in the chart after we first learn the G chord in your previous lesson. I'm not sure which is correct either. I have a feeling that it doesn't matter too much, because fingering changes for each chord based on position, but I don't want to be developing bad habits early.
Steve: Just finished lesson 5 and realize I havent learned very much in the 45 plus years I have been playing guitar. My question is why are the chords d min sus4 and sus2 not listed in the chord chart or am I missing something
Steve I am enjoying your lessons very much but intro's get down right annoying after awhile.
question: at scene 6 lesson 4 there is a diagram to practice chord progression. It has E minor as D string 3rd fret and A string as 2nd fret. In steve's lesson he teaches E minor as D string 2nd fret and A string 2nd fret. Which is correct?
A string 2nd fret and D string 2nd fret.. Use your middle finger for the A string and your ring finger fot the D string. For an Em chord.
Well hell, you are the first person to notice that in 4 years! I will have to correct this lesson. The E minor is E and D second fret.
Hi Steve got a far as lesson 7 on the beginner series and started again its making a lot of sense the second time round i am at lesson 4 now and making progress Take Care
Steve, I'm 65 years old and after Lesson 4 I'm already rocking out with those 5 chords (original weird stuff). I practice every day until my fingers almost bleed. Great stuff!!
Steve, I'm a
Amen to that. couldn't agree more
Thanks. Perfect teaching skill. I couldn't be more happy with joining your lessons. I will recommend to others. Also, I never thought about about bluegrass, coming from a heavy electronic dance music genre. Now I'm all into wanting to learn. Can't wait to mix it with my background. Cheers!
Steve, I'm a 50 yr. old woman who learned guitar in her mid- and late-teens, learning chords finger by finger around a campfire, polishing my skills during camp Chapel services and by playing songs for the campers at bedtime. Have 20 & 21 yr. old kids of my own now, and haven't really played in about 15-20 years. My sweet hubby consented to give me a Martin guitar for Christmas, and I determined to get some lessons to take my playing to the next level. In some ways I'm an intermediate player (can do some complex finger picking & have written over 20 songs, can change chords comfortably) but in other ways I'm a beginner or "almost intermediate" (never learned barre chords, never used a capo, learned music theory on piano & clarinet but not guitar, don't know guitar scales, etc.). So I determined to work through ALL of the beginner lessons, so I could fill in my gaps. YOU ARE AMAZING!!! Your accessible, congenial demeanor, your capacity to break things down in a way that is inviting and digestible, your sense of humor... You make it a pleasure (if not a privilege!!) to work through things I have already mastered, and you repeatedly add some dimension that fills in a gap or enhances my senses of both mastery and anticipation of things to come. Thanks so much for sharing your teaching gift in this forum. I'm a fan of James Taylor-style fingerstyle guitar, but I'll probably wind up learning some bluegrass just so I can get more or your instruction when I move up to level 3 on JamPlay. You are a delight, a pleasure, and a gift... and I thank God for you. Many blessings...
Although i can do a majority of whats taught in the beginners videos, i am mostly self taught so i know nothing of theory other than i notice that certain melodies and such are often played in certain areas and such. I am learning a lot here and theory is good for many reasons!....other people in the house dont appreciate guitar playing at 2am ;)
I agree with you completely kevinmc! I've been "playing" myself for a couple of years and I was really tempted to skip the beginning bits or just to browse through them, but what Steve teaches about the theory really makes sense to me now and I keep getting those lightbulb moments!
Great lesson Steve. I just can't seem to get enough of theory. Thanks a bunch
Steve, after tinkering around for a year I've finally made a huge step forward. Lesson 4 is the best so far. Thanks again!
I have finally after three years of just messing around with tabs and not taking it serious took your lesson and made alot of progress.
Steve you are the best. I've been playing for (DONKEY) many years, all self taught, and had no idea why I could not excell. After getting to lesson four, I finally realized why. I started out with another instructor and did not get as much from him in 4 months as I have gotten in your first four lessons. I'm embarassed to say how much I paid that guy. Thanks too much.
Hi Steve: I've taken two years of private guitar lessons and found I was too confused in the theory aspect of it. Your lessons are simple and fun. I am really enjoying learning the chord progressions because I have never understood anything about it before.
half way through this lesson and I am actually transitioning between the chords!!!! i'm sooo happy! I've been playing for 2 months and this feels like the most progress I've made yet....thank you jamplay! My advice: Repitition. Just keep switching between the chords....you'll get it eventually. Everything takes time!!! Patience is key!
I liked the example on how he used the e-minor to show the relative minor in the key of G major. Learned that in any major scale the relative minor is the 6 note or chord associated with that key. I also learned from this is that the relative major in any minor scale is the third note or chord in that key. Thanks Steve
Steve, I've been playing guitar for 7 years now, and took lessons for three of them. I'm into your bluegrass lessons now in Phase II genre, since I already know most of what you're teaching here in Basics - for example I already know the chords you're teaching, and at this point have no problem with progressions and changes. But, I have made it a point to fully review at least a couple of your Basic lessons a week to refresh myself since I have not taken a lesson for 4 years until I joined this site. Man, I'm glad I did, and I'm amazed at the stuff I forgot or wasn't even taught! I'm into Lesson 4 now regarding chords, and you do a wonderful job explaining the "guts" of a chord so to speak. Well done. I've come to the realization that the teacher I had as a beginner was not that good, with no structure at all to his teaching method. I joined this site 2 weeks ago, and now that I've had a chance to figure out what I want to do, and who my instructors are (you & Hawkeye so far), I couldn't be happier. Thanks!
Hi Steve, I've been teaching myself on a pretty haphazard basis for about three years and have never had a lesson until now. - From first impressions I'm very hopeful because I think your approach to teaching is very good. -Best regards
hi steve, thanxs for the great knowledge, i have been playing a little for a few years but now i feel i am learning the correct way to play. i am a singer and a aspiring songwriter you are a true gem looking forward to th next lesson.hello from sacramento this is working out great since i work alot and i can do this on my own schedule. thanx again i am so excited about jamplay now that i discovered steve you speak my language
Steve, I appreciate the amount of theory you placed in this lesson. It helped me understand why my mind wants to hear certain sounds. I'm loving it!
I have only picked up a guitar for a week now and I could not have learned all that I have in a year or better. Thanks for the lessons they are great. Thanks Jam Play.
Wow, alomost two years and no comments. Anywho.... enjoying your lessons. Great aproach, finaly someone who isn't rushing through to get it over with.
I'm trying to use the chord library in the teaching tools section to make a list of the chords that are being learned in these lessons, but the Amin chord is not listed....why is that??
It is, just click on any of the a minor chords to make it appear. Once you click on a Am chord it will bring up a list of all the other Am chords.
ya i noticed that too
This man has blown my mind.
I can't wait to see what's coming next...your lessons are terrific. And I really like your style. Although, I found all the D chords confusing as my memory is not what it use to be. I just keep repeating until I get it. Nothing a little gingobilobiloba and practice can't cure. Thanks.
Really enjoyable lession set, Steve. Now we're bringing it all together and we're starting to see progress. I've learned more and gained more confidence today than in months of struggling on my own. Thanks, Steve!
really enjoyable--Steve is a great teacher!
I wonder why the A minor Chord that we learn in this lesson is not in the Jamplay Chord library? Someone know the answerd? Thank you
Hello, it can be found here http://www.jamplay.com/members/guitar/tools/chord-library/am-guitar-chord.html
It's like someone flipped the light switch in a dark room. Your explanations and examples are crystal clear.
Thanks Steve, I am so thrilled I found this site. You are an amazing teacher. You have made it seem easy.
Gosh, I'm glad I found this site. Good job Steve. Nice pace and I really dig the inside info you dish out. I stopped my playing when I went back to college but I am back now and gaining my speed back fast. Can't wait for lesson five !
Until the other day it was about two or three years since I picked up my guitar. I really forgot how quick my fingers get sore. Does anyone have any suggestions to help with this?
I have a question about theory.... if you use you hand in the form of I love you like Steve showed us for the G major chord then can you do the same for C and would the Roman Numerals then coincide with C, F# and G with C being the dominant chord?
great lesson i learned so much
Great lesson again. MORE theory if anything!
Thanks Steve. the lessons are slow going for me but Im having fun and learning alot. I especially enjoy when I "pause" you always have a smile on your face that I find very encouraging. Keep smiling Steve, I need all the help I can get!
Excellent Lesson, Steve is a great teacher and the Theory part is very important to understand what we are playing and why it sounds armonic. Excellent Lesson!
I have a question... Steve says that there is no note between B and C, that's true, but then he says that there's no note between E and F sharp.... But there's - normal F note. When I play chromatic scale i play F and F sharp... What do you think?
You're right, B and C and E and F do not have a # or b between them.
I think Steve meant to say there is no note between E and F. I've noticed a few mistakes and inconsistancy in Steve's and other peoples lessons, I've also seen books for beginners full of mistakes. This can make it very confusing for a beginner. But spotting the mistakes and being able to correct them means you are paying attention and learning which can only be a good thing.
There is no mistake in Steve's G major scale. If you write out all notes and include sharps/Flats where they belong; after every note except B and E, you should end up with twelve notes.. Then place your roman numerals; I over first note, II over third note, III over fifth note, IV over sixth note, V over eighth note, VI over tenth note, and VII over twelvth and final note. You end up with G A B C D E F#, which is what Steve showed as the G major scale. I believe Steve is very thorough.
This was by far the best lesson I've taken so far. I had lessons years ago and this put it all back together for me. Most lessons skip ove theory, but I think it is important to understand why you're doing the things you do. Good lesson.
I have a alternative fingering for the G chord that I have found is easier to use. instead of using your 2nd finger on the E string your 1st finger on the A string and your 3rd finger on the e string. I use my 3rd finger on the E string 2nd finger on the A string and 4th finger on the e string. This makes it much easier for me to switch back and forth from G to Em and from G to C. Just a thought of a different way to teach the G chord. Great videos. I'm learning a lot
Everytime I switch from E minor back to G, my pinky moves up towards where my index finger is going, guess I just need to keep at it.
This appears to be the lesson where everything comes together and i feel like i have taken a big step. cheers steve! i look forward to my next lesson and yet more revelations!
I really like the tips on moving from one cord to another easily. Flows much easier than any way I've learned before.
Maybe I'm confused?? The 'I love you' sign .. you said the fingers pointing out are Major.. so if we are in A.. A B and E are major? Even though we would not play a B in that progression. But in the 1 4 5 progression.. is the sub dominant minor? I"m confused..in a 1 4 5 played in A.. the D (4th) is played D maj not minor, then the E or E7 is dominant and major. But you said the fingers pointing back are minor..that makes the sub dom a minor. . have I lost it completely?? LOL
thanks Steve for the wonderful lesson ... i am attending from Beirut, Lebanon ;)
The sub dominant would not be a minor unless you are in a minor key, if im not mistaken. The root is obviously the 1, the 4 is the sub dominant, and the 5 is the dominant. The 5 can also be played as a 7th to sound great. The 6 is the relative minor, a minor chord that sounds GREAT with the key.
By the way - I LOVE the thoery - and the way you teach..how something we hear now might make sense later..that's the way I learn the best..thank you so much :>
Steve, Youer lessons have been amazing so far. I bought a guitar about 4 or 5 months ago and got a book and have been learning from that and Tabs. But I realize that my strumming was not right because I was shifting chords before the upstroke or 8/8. As far as the theory, will there be more of that later? It seems really absract right now but am very interested in learning it. p.s. you rock the bluegrass man !!
Well Steve, you are amazing. I have been playing guitar for many years with no lessons and am so excited to start from the basics. Each lesson is teaching me something that most guitarist knew but I had never learned. My goal is to be a very good guitarist and I believe you are the one to show me how. Thanks Oby-won, Leslie
Hey Steve! I joined JamPlay today, and took me a lot of work to make this happen. I've already watched all your four beginner lessons and can't stop! It's like 3am here in Argentina, but i can't go to sleep, it's like when you're stuck in a great book. Great job, man!
Steve, got a guitar for anniv in Jan and bought a chord chart. Started with memorizing some chords, experimenting with strumming patterns. Followed some 'easy' guitar books playing songs with chords. Your lessons have confirmed that I'm on the right track and am looking forward to learning some higher level things from you. You are a fun and gentle guy!
Hi Steve, started today. Great lessons, sore fingers but I really enjoyed it. Many thanks from London.
Thanks Steve, I really enjoyed the couple of real songs you put in with the chord progression. It makes everything more relevant. I hope there is more of that in the lessons I haven't done yet.
Steve's a champ at working your fingers. Let them heal up and stay after it. Soon...they'll be perfectly fine even when you play hours on end!
Just like the saying: No pain, No gain.
Thanks Steve, I think I have this lesson pretty much mastered as I have been studying chords for the 3 months before I signed up for JamPlay. I didn't really understand the theory part at the beginning, so will go over that again a few times. Great lesson, great teacher.... thanks
thanks alot my friend you are really really helps me alot with only two days i learn thinks i ever learn it for a year thanks again
Glad to hear it!
Dear Steve; I enjoyed your first four lesons, also found your advice on repetition very helpful,need extra time to work on my strumming. Looking forward to becoming a good player.Thank you Bill S.
Steve, thank you. i have not played since i was 14, now 46 but in the first few lessons i have learned more than i did at 14 maybe i am more focused but i have never learrned how cords progerss and you have been a big help thank you
Excellent lesson! Scales, chord theory, chord progressions, great advice on finger positioning from one chord to the next, fun strum patterns and a great suggestion to have fun and experiment with the chords and let the ear be a guide as to what sounds good. I so much want to jump ahead but I committed myself to work on accurate fingering and chords with minimum peeking in this lesson before I move on. My goal is to keep pace with you throughout the lesson and then I'm ready to move onto the next lesson =)
Steve, How about a suggestion with the strumming and holding onto the pick. If I hold it tight, it's too harsh on the upstroke and if I hold it more loosely it either moves around too much or I end up loosing it completely...What kind of strategy can you suggest?
Hi Steve Great lessons. Im planning to buy an acoustic. Which is the cheapest good quality I can buy?
Great lesson! Enjoyed it. I wish my finger tips were a bit smaller so they wouldn't interfere with the other strings, lol
Yeah...don't we all!
Great lesson however I am having a bit of a problem with the 4th? strum pattern? The one Steve says many songs can be played to. Steve only shows it one but on the other patterns he repeats them a few times and it has been hard to find that pattern again when rewatching the video. All the otheer patterns show it at the end when it shows "Practice this now" but this one doesn't ... Other than that great lesson :)
I had the same difficulty folowing and learing strum pattern D. It was a little confusing cause he referred to the previous C pattern. But what I did was play the middle section of the video over and over again and wrote out the pattern in my note book. Writting it out is the only way I could learn it. DRDURUDU DRDURUDU
I'm having the same problem. I've gone back through the videos (3and 4) and it seems to change. Alsoi what is in the supplemental does not seem to match what he does. I'd would be helpful if there were audio files with the different strum patterns.
I have updated the supp content to reflect that he uses variations to the "D" pattern. I think one very important thing to remember about strumming is that no pattern is necessarily right or wrong, and that it is very easy to make minor changes to patterns and still be completely fine inside the song :)
Just wanted to say a big thank you to Steve. Before I discovered these lessons my guitar sat dusty and unplayed in the corner. I had a couple of books but nothing that really clicked with me. Since I found these lessons I've grown in confidence and now cant wait to get home from work to practice! Thanks again Steve from London
I'm LOVING this! Going to be a rockstar yet. Thanks for making everything so accessible, Steve. Now if I can just get the transition into the C chord as smooth as the rest...
Good teaching Steve , i'm following but, my fluidy with chords is awful for now, but...time is on my side....thanks
Great Lesson! It's nice to be able to hear something I am playing that somewhat sounds like music.
What can I say. I do not have problem with any of it in lesson 4. Sometime I get lost because I am to exited but that will go as the time goes by. I am happy that I found this jamplay. Thanks Mr. S. Eulberg.
God I wish cities in the US would do that, focus on low traffic and green sustainable living. London sounds awesome! Im just not sure if I could deal with all the cloudy days, here in Colorado we have somewhere around 300~ days of clear skies per year so whenever its cloudy I get super depressed. Maybe I'll go live in Boulder some day :x
Hi Steve This really is a super session. I really found it challenging but also felt myself improving which is great. Good to know that you like London. It is a great city. We don't only drink in pubs you know!!! When were you last here? It is changing a lot - especially trying to get the traffic less and making it even more green! One of my son's is football coaching in California and so I am hoping to go and see him sometime next year. Thanks again you are a great teacher! I like your humour too!
Oh crapola! I'll get that fixed for you on Monday. Thanks for pointing it out =)
Thanks, verbena, I'm sure our supplemental content guru will hop on that! Glad the lessons are grabbing your interest! Steve
I think there is a small mistake at the summary/exercise, end of "chapter 6". The E minor chord tab is wrong (0-2-3-0-0-0 is written instead of 0-2-2-0-0-0, so I think you wrote down the finger instead of the frets there). Great lesson though, I'm even begining to be interested in theory now ! Edit : Seems like the same mistake is here at the end of the following chapters as well. Edit 2 : [ cynical mode ] "Hoh god I must be Clapton or something for figuring it out holy batman !"